Cellular networks, such as a Global System for Mobile Communications (“GSM”) network or Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (“third-generation (3G)”) network, include cellular devices, such as cellular telephones, that must be uniquely identified and authenticated. Management software requires device unique identifiers in order to communicate with or load the appropriate device software. Likewise, cellular networks, and in particular operators of cellular networks must authenticate cellular devices in order to ensure that the device has been authorized to join the cellular network or has not been stolen.
A GSM cellular network identifies a cellular device by an International Mobile Equipment Identity (“IMEI”) number. The IMEI number is not transferred over air or transmitted by radio frequency. Other cellular networks use different methods of uniquely identifying a cellular device. So in order for management software executing on a processing device, such as a server, to communicate with the cellular device, by way of the GSM network, the server must communicate with the GSM network and use the IMEI number.
However, integrating a server with a GSM cellular network in order to communicate with a cellular device is a time-consuming and complex task. Large amounts of time and engineering-hours must be used to write, test and debug management software on a server in order to use the IMEI number in communicating with the GSM cellular network, and in particular with the identified cellular device.
Similarly, additional management software must be written, tested and debugged for different cellular networks using a different method of identification.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a device, system, method and computer readable medium for communicating with a cellular device, and in particular uniquely identifying a cellular device or authenticating a cellular message, without designing and testing a complex software interface to a particular cellular network. Further, it is desirable to provide a device, system, method and computer readable medium that allows for easily obtaining a unique identifier from the cellular device, regardless of which cellular network the cellular device is operating in.